To the Clear Northern Skies
by Sinedra
Summary: Everyone knows the story of High King Peter,but what about the woman at his side? Saoirse didn't earn a name in the tales yet the dryad was completely immersed in the many struggles of Narnia. She never would have suspected her importance if not for him.
1. Prologue

**Prologue: Joining the Army**

It was always hard to recall the time before the hundred year winter; I was so young then. What I do remember is dancing countless nights, singing with my sisters and hunting with the talking beasts. We recalled stories of Aslan and gazed at the stars with the centaurs. For one as young as myself, it was a dream. I had no cares and no worries. Regrettably, it was the only time I'd ever feel completely content.

My twenty-first year alive was the year the winter hit, my young tree huddled inside herself to stay alive. I, being joined to my tree mother since birth, joined her so I myself would not die. It was a winter neither of us had ever felt the likes of prior to our slumber.

Unlike other Narnians, not many dryads were able to stay awake in the frost. Some elm and oak were strong enough to withstand the bitting chill, but they were mature and so robust that they could survive some of Narnia's greatest storms. A tree as slender as my silver birch was too delicate and young to fight off such a curse.

For a hundred years I slept, unaware of the horrors and oppression going on outside of the bark I was concealed. Dreams rarely graced me, but when they did it was often of a great golden lion. I felt so warm and content that often I forgot I was asleep as I danced around him with other dryads; all of Narnia was celebrating and I couldn't care if there was a slight chill around my tree that made her uneasy.

When the dreams ended, I'd try and wake myself – to leave and dance like my legs ached to do. A blast of the killing winter exhausted me and I retreated back, closer to my tree, deep within her core; and there we'd wait to wake once more.

It's hard to know how Flidaia and I continued to grow with so little warmth and sun, perhaps by Aslan's grace was it possible. Years went on and she managed to grow taller than most of the birches near Cair Paravel, of course neither of us knew until we were abruptly awakened one day. I remember it was dreadful looking out, the cold still bit deep into my body, but it was a calling I'd have been daft to ever deny.

"Saoirse!" Flidaia stirred, the tapping on her bark brought her awareness to a groggy start. Of course I woke as well; angry that someone had the nerve to wake a dryad's slumber. "Saoirse! You lazy dryad, you are the hardest of your sisters to wake."

Irritated, I withdrew hesitantly from the warmth of my birch's core. Many prefer using blossoms or leaves to form their person, but I was always intrigued by the form the sons of Adam and the daughters of Eve were rumored to possess. The ground was still covered in a veil of white and the trees bare of leaves, leaving me no choice in my form anyway. Goose flesh began to appear on my pale skin as the wind buffeted my sleepy person, but the spotted cat before me chirped happily at my presence, completely unaware of the outrageous temperature. "Cadril, I hope there is a good reason for disturbing my tree in the middle of winter."

The cheetah ignored my annoyance and rubbed my leg, the coarse touch of his fur abated the cold for a few seconds. It was still better than the thin fabric of my dress. "Indeed, Aslan has arrived-"

"Aslan?" I was taken aback by this statement. Living by Cair Paravel most of my life, I had hoped that the great lion would come and fill the empty halls with the kings and queens of the prophesy. Alas I had never set eyes on him myself. Hearing his name after such a sleep certainly did well to cure me of my weariness.

"Yes," Cadril said in awe, amber eyes gleamed, "He is gathering an army, near the stone table. They say the power of the White Witch is failing at last, it is rumored that a daughter of Eve has already stepped foot in Narnia!"

A smile lit my face, I could feel my birch stir with excitement. "Aslan be praised!" Could it be that the prophesy was _finally_ being fulfilled?

"You might not be aware of it, but this blasted winter has lasted well over a hundred years."

"I've been asleep for the majority of my life... but I had hoped that the Witch wasn't capable of such a long frost." It was the first I had knowledge of losing so much time to the winter. I felt melancholy to know so much time had past since those pleasant days I remembered.

"Sadly she is. Those Narnians able to sleep through it are lucky, you haven't witnessed her horrors." When Jadis had arrived, we could already feel the change in our beautiful land. The Witch had already begun causing havoc and installing fear before the winter started... those terrible terrible things she did. They were so abhorrent that I didn't mind the early snow nor the sleep that came with it, I had no desire to hear anymore of her horrors.

"What are we waiting here for? I want to join the army!" Knowing that this was her doing only strengthened my resolve to go join with those who opposed her. Before it had been a dryad's curiosity but now it out of desire to see Jadis fall.

The cat chuckled at me, his laugh was a reminder of years before, a sweet sound filled with joy. "I figured, being the youngest dryad in these parts, you'd be more reckless than the others. Though I never figured you to sleep like the ancient dryad mother-" With a yelp, he leaped away from my slap.

"Careful or I might leave you," was his threat.

"You couldn't, with no leaves adorning my tree yet I am stuck looking like a human. I can't let the wind carry me. Besides, you're over a hundred years old and might need some assistance getting there yourself."

A growl was the only response I received.

With nothing to take with me, I said my goodbyes to Flidaia and walking through the cold to Aslan's camp. Cadril told me stories of the army that was starting to build, how the earth was warmer where ever the great lion walked. He spoke of the griffins that had flocked to the site, of the many centaurs that had congregated in one spot, how fauns and satyrs worked night and day to forge enough armor and weapons for the masses still pouring in. The tales made my blood burn with adventure and anticipation, often being the only things keeping me from fleeing to the sanctuary of my tree.

We spent the days talking, when we weren't hiding from the Witch's lackeys, with few stops. There was no denying that we were fearful for our lives and excited about meeting Aslan. Being so far from my tree often made me feel alone; I felt lost and cold with the skin I wore. We could both still feel the other, conscious of each other's emotions, but I had never been separated from her for this long.

When we finally arrived at the Narnian encampment I forgot all my discomforts as awe overwhelmed me.

Flidaia felt my staggering amazement and I felt her roots stir in envy. Snow still covered everything, the air only slightly less stinging, but finally getting to see the great Aslan with my own eyes... there was _nothing_ that could ever compare.

Or so I thought.


	2. The Great Lion's Reassurance

**Sorry this chapter is so short, it is more of a filler to show off more of Saoirse [pronounced seer-say to anyone curious (: ] and her thoughts of the wait for the Pevensies. Besides I wanted a bit of Aslan in there before the action begins.**

**Seeing as this is from a Narnian's point of view, she doesn't go through what the Pevensie's go through to reach the camp so the action should start next chapter.**

**Enjoy =D (this is where I normally add a disclaimer but everyone knows that Disney and C.S. Lewis own the series. I only own the plot!)**

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><p><strong>The Great Lion's Reassurance<strong>

"Oreius!" The centaur ceased his conversation with one of the dwarves, his head turned toward my leafy apparition. Seeing the red dwarf's clear discomfort at a talking group of leaves, I quickly walked out of the flora in my "human" appearance. "I have news."

Our general turned back to the dwarf, "Saoirse is one of the few dyrads we've managed to awaken. They make for valuable informants." The little man said nothing as he continued to watch me warily. He then briefly nodded to Oreius and gave us our privacy.

"I don't believe he likes me very much."

"They aren't used to dryads, after all they just arrived. Now what news do you bring?"

My face lost its hurt as I became serious once more, "It's the queen's secret police. They're on the move again, a pack of Maugrim's finest." The centaur didn't look too pleased as one large hoof slammed the earth. Anything the secret police were involved in meant huge trouble for us, we had spent the past few months keeping our army's existence out of the Witch's knowledge; small rebellious raids and attacks on her followers were the most we could manage without drawing more attention.

I could tell the general wanted to go after them, take down the wolves once and for all, but Aslan had reasoned with him; the great lion had made the consequences of their death all too clear. The exposure would ruin everything we had managed to build up. "Is it clear where they are heading?"

I shook my head guiltily, reddish-brown curls fell over my shoulders. "I spotted them in the woods past the frozen river, but Maugrim caught my scent and started to tail me. I had to leave."

There was understanding in his brown eyes; I had been scolded more than once by him and others about throwing myself in front of the enemy just for information. The way I saw it, I wasn't the greatest with weapons so being a spy for Aslan's army was just as important. I was determined to do my part to the fullest.

"I guess we shall know soon enough what they are after."

"How long will we keep waiting? This game has lasted long enough, many of us are ready to start doing something about the Witch." It was frustrating, hearing daily of more Narnians who suffered at the White Witch's hand. "A hundred years was too long to neglect this problem, perhaps the kings and queens won't even reach the camp till we start acting. Say they never arrive? What if Aslan was wrong? Narnia shouldn't be destroyed while chasing after a prophecy."

My heart clenched at these negative thoughts... I had dreamed of the prophecy being brought to fruit for all my life. Doubting them was like doubting myself, my land, Aslan even; I was just so sick of doing nothing.

"Patience Saoirse, things are happening as they were meant to. There is not much longer to wait." My skin prickled and my pale skin flushed. Oreius had not been the one to answer my ranting, in fact he was hunched over...bowing.

Turning, I found myself face-to-face with the mighty lion. I had met him before, when I first joined the camp a few months ago, and seen him walking through camp to observe his people, but it had been awhile since I had spoken with him. I didn't remember him being so intimidating yet so amazing all at once. Flidaia stirred once more, feeling his power and magnificence from miles away, her newly grown leaves danced in the wind at the thought of him.

My green eyes dropped to the newly uncovered grass below, "Forgive me, I-... Several of us are weary of the pain all of Narnia has been through. Most of my friends are dead and many of my sisters still will not wake, I simply wish what everyone else does."

I saw the hunches of the lion shift and, for a brief moment, feared he would charge me. Several stories I had been told about Aslan had ended with _"...-but remember, he is by no means a tame lion."_ My eyes, still downcast, finally saw him sit; a weight on my shoulder brought my eyes back up, staring into a face that held more kindness than could ever be imagined. His paw wasn't as heavy upon my shoulder as I would have believed, instead it seemed to ease the burden from them and replace it with reassurance.

"All things must happen in time, but Narnia's oppression is reaching its end. She will soon see the days that you long for and so remember." How could I ever have feared his soothing voice? Ever doubt his wise judgment?

A small smile crossed my features as his words touched the very place in my heart that suffered. "I was wrong to try and rush things, to lose faith in all we've been fighting for. My only wish is that I could help more."

"Child, you have a larger role than you think. Wait a few more days, you might see what you've been looking for." Wait? I had been waiting for several months... but what was a few more days compared to that? "Also, keep an eye on your friend Cadril. He has more of a heart for mischief than half the foxes I've know."

This gave birth to a laughter that I could not contain, "He's been that way since birth, sire; he hasn't changed much from those days."

A smile formed on those feline features; the whole world seemed to brighten. He returned his paw to the ground and ruffled his mane with a slight shake, "His energy is infectious. He's so contagious that he had the satyrs rilled up, it does them good though, they are briefly able to forget their struggles. I just don't want his excitement to get out of hand."

It had been long since I had held onto a smile like this, "To think I was free of babysitting him. I'm not new to the task, so you may count on me to act like his ma when needed."

Even the cat's slight chuckle made the air warmer and the ground rumble. "Good to know."

Perhaps I _could _manage a few more days. After that, I wasn't sure if even Aslan's words could convince me of the validity of the prophecy. For now, things carried a more optimistic air.

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><p><strong>Since this is set in the movie universe I would like to point out a few things. This is a fanfic so some things aren't going to be the same, that's why it's a fanfiction; the author gets to play around with the world. Next, I say several months since Lucy first stepped into Narnia because, as most are aware of, time passes differently in Narnia. Then the Pevensie's ages aren't going to be book-correct, there is just no way that Peter is 13 in the movie.<strong>

**Anyway, if anyone has any questions at all about what I changed or if something doesn't add up just ask me and I shall answer you.**

**Please review, reviews are the stuff that starving authors like us live off of. (Also lets us know someone likes the story.)**

**Until the adventure continues!**


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